Knowledge Base

By practicing healthy household habits, homeowners can keep common pollutants like pesticides, pet waste, grass clippings, and automotive fluids off the ground and out of stormwater. Adopt these healthy household habits and help protect our lakes, streams, rivers, and wetlands. Remember to share these habits with your neighbors!

• Dispose of pet waste in the trash.
• Do not dump household waste such as paint, cleaning products, motor oils, antifreeze, pet excrement, yard waste or any other hazardous material into catch basins, drainage ditches and waterways.
• Remove debris such as trash, leaves and grass clipping away from catch basins, drainage ditches and waterways.
  
• Whenever possible use environmentally friendly, biodegradable products when cleaning outside.
  
• Dispose of hazardous waste properly with the city’s Household Hazardous Materials Collection Program.
• Minimize the use of fertilizers.
  
• Do not drain chemically treated swimming pools into catch basins or drainage ditches. Pool water should be held until chlorine levels are acceptable enough to discharge to catch basins or drainage ditches.
• Do not dump anything into a storm drain.
• If you must wash your car at home, wash it on the lawn to encourage infiltration and use low-phosphate detergents.